FAQ

CHEEKY CACAO

What is cacao?

Cacao is the plant source of all chocolate! The seeds from the pods of the Theobroma cacao tree are harvested, fermented, dried and processed into various products and forms. Depending on whether the seeds are processed at low or high heat, this will determine whether they are referred to as cacao, or cocoa products, respectively. The addition of other ingredients and processing results in what we know as modern chocolate.

Do you make your own chocolate?

Yes and no.

The dark chocolate we source and use is a high quality, fair-trade, organic, couverture chocolate that is made by the chocolate making experts using specialised skills and equipment. This chocolate is sweetened with unprocessed cane sugar (sometimes referred to as rapadura or whole evaporated cane sugar) and is ALSO gluten, dairy and soy free by ingredient, and does not contain any palm oil, emulsifiers, additives or preservatives. We searched high and low, and have carefully selected this chocolate for its superior taste and quality.

We have recently started experimenting with making our own organic vegan white chocolate. Made in house in small batches, this white chocolate is a dreamy combination of cacao butter, coconut flour, maple sugar, vanilla and sea salt.

We hand temper, mould and fill each of our chocolates, by hand, in small batches. As a result of the artisan nature of our chocolates, each and every chocolate will never be exactly the same.

Are your chocolates “raw”?

No. In short, the beans used in the chocolate we source are roasted as part of the chocolate making process. Even during the process of fermenting the fruit to remove the beans from the pulp of the fruit temperatures can naturally reach upwards of 50°C, raising debate as to whether any chocolate is truly raw.

Many of our other ingredients and fillings are also not raw: we opt for dry roasted nuts/nut butter (for that added flavour!) and some of our fillings involve making reductions over heat.

What is in your chocolates?

We knew you’d be interested! Click here to check out our Nutrition Information.

Are your chocolates safe for coeliacs?

All of the ingredients we use are naturally free from gluten. However, while we take every care to ensure that our chocolates are free from any traces of gluten, this is a personal decision for the individual. We carefully select ingredients whereby the product labelling indicates the absence of gluten and from suppliers where the risk of cross contamination is reduced or removed. We produce our chocolates in a licensed commercial kitchen that does not handle any gluten.

Are your chocolates sugar free?

No. We use unrefined sugars (aka nature’s sugar) for all our chocolates. The couverture dark chocolate we use is sweetened with whole evaporated cane sugar, or rapadura sugar. Where we use sweeteners in our fillings, we opt for a touch of organic maple syrup or raw, locally sourced honey.

Do your chocolates contain dairy?

No, however the dark chocolate we source and use is manufactured in a facility that handles dairy. As a result, the chocolate component may contain small traces of dairy.

Do your chocolates contain soy?

No. All of our ingredients, including the couverture chocolate we use, do not contain any soy.

Are any of your chocolates nut free?

While some of our chocolates do not directly contain nuts, due to manufacturing process traces of nuts may be present. We also hand make our products in a facility that handles tree nuts, including peanuts. Therefore, if you are allergic to nuts we do not recommend you consume our chocolates.

How should I store my chocolates?

We recommend storing your chocolates in a dry, cool place, away from direct heat and/or humidity and strong odours. For best quality, they should be stored between 18 – 22°C.

Wine fridges are ideal for storing chocolate as they are temperature and humidity controlled.

Should I store my chocolates in the refrigerator?

We do not generally recommend storing chocolate in the fridge, as the humidity can result in condensation and cause the chocolate to bloom. Don’t worry, they will still be safe to eat, they may however have lost some of its flavour, and may not look as pretty. Chocolate also absorbs odours so be sure not to store them in a sealed container.

In warmer weather it may be necessary to store your chocolates in the fridge. This will be fine for short periods. For optimum taste, allow your chocolates to warm to room temperature before eating.

How long will they last?

As our chocolates do not contain any additives or preservatives in either the chocolate itself, or the fillings, they are best eaten within 8 weeks of production for best quality. The recommended best before date, along with the batch number is marked on the packaging.

How does your shipping and shopping work?

THE CHEEKY PROJECT

No gluten, no dairy, no refined sugars, what DO you eat?

Oh man, plenty! Our Food philosophy is all about making choices that empower us, like choosing foods that nourish our bodies. We want to inspire people to put their health and wellbeing, first. This means opting for unpackaged, unprocessed, natural, whole foods that are free from additives and preservatives. At The Cheeky Project, knowing and understanding where our food comes from is important, for it not only allows us to make informed decisions, but lets us take control of what goes into our bodies.

We want to turn back the clock, and return to the way food used to be, before mass-production and the introduction of “foodstuffs”, that are created by people in white coats in a laboratory. It’s about choosing the types of foods our grandparents would have eaten: local, in-season, pesticide free. Think grass-fed meat, fresh fruit and vegetables, pasture raised eggs, fermented foods, nuts and seeds.

The Cheeky Project is where healthy means more.

What is gluten?

Gluten is a protein found naturally in several types of grains, such as rye, wheat, oats and barley. According to Coeliac Australia, on average, approximately 1 in 70 Australians suffer from coeliac disease, a condition where a person’s immune system reacts abnormally to gluten, causing small bowel damage. However a staggering 80% of this number remain undiagnosed. Those without coeliac disease may still suffer side effects from eating gluten, otherwise known as non-coeliac gluten sensitivity or gluten intolerance.

What is dairy?

Dairy products are made from the milk of mammals such as cattle, goats, sheep. Certain components within dairy products can cause issues for those who do not have the digestive enzymes to break down these proteins, such as lactose and casein. This can cause adverse reactions such as digestive issues, inflammation, sinus problems.

What’s so “cheeky” about the way you eat?

Being “cheeky” is about making and eating delicious, scrumptious food that just happens to also be healthy. I love nothing more than to see my friends and family genuinely love and enjoy the meals I have just prepared, only to tell them afterwards that it was gluten, dairy and refined sugar free! You can almost imagine me doing a cheeky, little giggle, and saying: “Ha, see!”

What about your lifestyle?

At The Cheeky Project, we believe in reducing our exposure to toxins, living in the present and moving our bodies to keep them healthy. After we started cleaning up what we put in our bodies, it made sense to start looking at what we put on our bodies and around our home. Where possible, we always use chemical free, low-tox household and beauty products.

I’ve always been an active person, but as a result of some health issues over the last few years, I have had to opt for more gentle, lower impact movement health activities, like yoga.

Why do you eat and live the way you do?

Eating nourishing food and reducing my toxic load, has been remarkable in helping me restore and replenish my health, even to this very day. The way I see it, we can’t control everything, and we certainly can’t remove all of the toxins from our lives, but we can control what we put in to and on our bodies and we can reduce the amount of toxins we use in our homes. Through nourishment and movement, we give our bodies the best chance to be healthy and balanced.

What is adrenal fatigue?

our adrenal glands produce hormones, one of which includes cortisol. This hormone helps the body deal with stress, as part of the “fight or flight” response. When you are “stressed” for a prolonged period of time, your adrenal glands become exhausted. This as result, leads to a variety of symptoms.

The term adrenal fatigue, also known as adrenal insufficiency, is used to describe a collection of symptoms related to the insufficient production of cortisol by the adrenal glands.

Symptoms of this can include: fatigue, lightheadedness, difficulty concentrating, anxiety, inability to remember things, unexplained hair loss, a feeling of being wired but tired, inflammation, among other things.